


living in perkatory

by toyang



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-30
Updated: 2018-01-30
Packaged: 2019-03-11 12:37:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13524420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toyang/pseuds/toyang
Summary: Prompt#039Title:living in perkatoryRating:nc-17Word Count:11k+Warnings:noneSummary: university!au- jongdae has it bad for his playboy classmate, baekhyun. what starts off as plain attraction brews down to be something more than he's prepared for.Author’s Note:this is my first time participating in any fic fest. i hope you enjoy. ^^ also, i swear there's a second part to this.





	living in perkatory

the front door's melody chimes off to signal someone entering the room, and jongdae could hear someone shuffling out of their shoes through the walls. it must be kyungsoo coming back from work, but he could swear he isn't alone when he's sure of hearing the murmurs of a quiet conversation. normally, jongdae would go out to greet him, but that was when it wasn't three in the morning and assuming sleep. the conversation didn't stay in the living room for long as he heard their clothed feet pattering softly across the living room, and then hearing kyungsoo's door next to jongdae's close with a soft click.

jongdae's cheeks heat up at the thought of the implication. kyungsoo hardly ever let anyone to his room unless it’s for... _ahem,_ specific reasons.

as for jongdae, he tosses and turns on his bed as he tries to find the right position to sleep. he knew that he shouldn't have had that other americano while he was with his friends, but it was so hard to say no when they had offered to pay. his eyes are closed, but he doesn't feel himself getting drowsy at all, so he sighs, rests on his back, and plops his arms down on the mattress.

this is how he decides on spending his friday night: back home early so that he could show up to work the next morning without feeling tired. except now he's whining at himself in bed with his plan completely backfiring on him, now with the awkward potential of hearing his roommate getting it on with someone. not that he was judgemental about kyungsoo in the slightest. really, he was happy for the fact that jongdae's own single-and-not-looking mindset didn't get in the way of kyungsoo's debaucherous lifestyle.

jongdae though feels like he's wasting away doing nothing and could make better use of his time instead. perhaps watching something would help, something on netflix that was enjoyable but also soothing that he could doze off to because he knew that he wouldn't be able to concentrate on his homework at all.

God--he needs to do something before the _rustling_ next door gets any louder. (Suddenly he’s ever so amazed by how well sound travels between the thick walls of their apartment.)

 

~☕~

 

his head is resting on his propped arm at the kitchen table not even an hour after kyungsoo arrived home. his restlessness had forced him out of his room. his other hand is occupied playing a game on his phone after he'd steeped a fresh cup of tea for himself. he looks up when kyungsoo's door opens and sees two figures walking out. oh good. he sighs in relief--they're both fully clothed.

kyungsoo makes eye contact with jongdae when they enter the kitchen and he looks somewhat surprised, knowing that it isn't in jongdae's usual schedule to be up at this time, but he still gives him a nod. the elephant in the room tails not too far behind as he stretches his arms behind his back. he's about the same height as kyungsoo from what jongdae can see, someone with broader shoulders and a more pointed face. when he greets jongdae at the table with a small wave, jongdae's expression lights up in realization and horror. this is one of his classmates.

it isn't just _any_ classmate. jongdae remembers his eyes gluing to him when he walked into the classroom on the first day, followed by how he was instantly struck with feelings akin to interest and attraction. the next classes were of jongdae definitely not thinking that his raspy voice is nice to hear as said classmate talks to his friends a couple rows down. he also definitely isn't remembering the way jongdae smiles along when his classmate's teethy, rectangular smile is as contagious as a virus when the class laughed at his jokes. nope, definitely not thinking of that.

he does think about how he never really approached him even after these past several weeks; the semester further in that they were now on the brink of their midterms. jongdae never had the courage to talk to him ever. his classmate was much too cool for him, and he was perfectly okay to leave it as just that: an infatuation that went nowhere and eventually drifted away. at least that’s what he hopes.

but how his classmate is here, in his shared apartment with kyungsoo, and he’s curising at himself about the chances of this happening.

"sorry, did we wake you up?" the sound of kyungsoo's voice pulls him out of his thoughts. _‘we.’_

jongdae fixes his posture in his chair and closes his game when he sees the end screen. he clears his throat shakes his head back at his friend. "i was already awake. i just couldn't sleep."

"ah." he could see the fear crossing kyungsoo's eyes upon the implications about the possibility of being heard just earlier, although jongdae stays quiet to save his friend from the embarrassment. jongdae wants to save _himself_ from the embarrassment too, trying not to remember the sounds of the bed creaking underneath their vigor. he wants to shake off the way it makes the heat crawl up his neck again. his classmate reacts with an amused smile on his face, apparently not sharing the same shame, and passes by the kitchen to reach the front door to put his shoes on.

"what were you up to? uh... i mean, not what you were up to when you got back home. you don't have to tell me that." he waves his hands in front of him, wanting for them to keep that between themselves. crap. blame his choice of words. "you're... you came late."

"well i wouldn't say he came late at all." he hears the quip coming from the entryway, his classmate is looking at them with a suggestive smile on his face. jongdae sputters and whines from his words being twisted and flails his hand in front of him. the man laughs at his own joke, but holds his hands up to defend himself as kyungsoo sends him a glare. he loses his balance when slipping on his shoes, and he braces one hand against the door to keep himself from falling.

"... you know what i mean." jongdae adds, trying to save face.

his roommate's attention is back on him, and kyungsoo nods. "had dinner with a few coworkers after closing."

”oh.” which means that jongdae's classmate is in the picture in some way? he can't quite wrap his head around this when kyungsoo never talked about their 'guest' as his coworker. kyungsoo uses jongdae's silence to step away to see his leaving company out the door.

"i'll see you later?" he hears his classmate say. he hears kyungsoo respond, but jongdae tries not to eavesdrop and presses the home button on his phone to keep himself busy. he doesn’t know how many times he’s tried to refresh his twitter feed in the last ten seconds wishing for something to update. mental note to find more people to follow; the ones he has now sleep at this hour.

"it was nice meeting you, kyungsoo’s roommate." he hears, and that causes him to lift his head back up. the other is waving his hand goodbye, and jongdae does the same with a nod.

"nice meeting you too."

kyungsoo lets out a sigh when he finally closes the door, and he comes back to join jongdae at the table with a glass of water. kyungsoo has this look on his face as if he's expecting some sort of comment or question to come up from these current events, unless he's just sitting around being the kind roommate he is to keep jongdae company. fortunately, jongdae's curiosity hangs on the tip of his tongue, phone activity forgotten and nothing now holding them back from being said. "so..." jongdae reaches for his own drink, keeping his hands warm while cupping the ceramic. he blows the wisps of steam away softly. "who was he?"

"baekhyun," he replies casually, his finger tapping softly against the glass. jongdae watches as the action makes the ripples glide through the water to meet in the middle. "he's one of chanyeol's friends so he visits the cafe often."

"chanyeol... oh, you mean tall elf guy?"

kyungsoo makes a grunt from his precise guess. "chanyeol's the one who wanted to go out. why?"

"i’m pretty sure baekhyun’s one of my classmates."

the younger’s brow raises in curiosity. ”you’re not completely sure?”

his fingers fidget against his mug. “well…i’ve seen that face around. i’ve just never talked to him.”

"huh. small world."

the topic doesn’t get any further than that, thanks to the lack of probing questions on kyungsoo’s end. it’s what he likes about his friend: a private person, someone reserved and offers the same courtesy to others. quiet, but still comfortable to be around.

the silence hangs over them while they’re both occupied with their drinks, but as jongdae looks at his friend’s features, he notices the way he’s willing his eyes to stay open. ”you must be tired.”

he receives a shrug back. “i can stay up with you if you need company.”

“i have work tomorrow so i really should get some sleep. but i was thinking netflix…” jongdae adds with a guilty smile.

the response causes kyungsoo to crack an amused smile back. it’s been a while since the last time they’ve stayed up watching any series together. he looks up to jongdae before pulling his chair out to stand up. “i’ll get the tv set up.”

jongdae’s eyes turn brighter, thinking this is why their rooming arrangement worked out so well. “you’re the best.”

 

~☕~

aside from their binge watching, jongdae's weekend turned pretty uneventful. his shift at the cafe was spent trying to keep his eyes open behind the counter, but he was able to occupy his time by restocking the store and singing along to the music he played over the speakers. most of the customers that would visit at these early hours would be students like himself on their computers, or the occasional worker who needed a pick-me-up before starting their weekend shift. he brought his homework with him to complete it during this time, an advantage of working at a cafe that was more in the back roads, although it probably also helped him using his benefits to survive the rest of his hours with countless cups of coffee. freshly brewed for him, of course!

the following monday afternoon back in the classroom, jongdae is back to his usual self; his supplies are sitting on the table and his phone is open to the latest update of his webtoon of interest. his head looks up when someone occupies the desks adjacent to him and silently waves back to the ones he knows. much to jongdae's surprise, baekhyun sees him the moment he enters the classroom, then walks closer when he finds the last empty seat next to jongdae to occupy.

jongdae greets him back only after realizing that baekhyun really was talking to _him._ talking _at_ him, and not merely in jongdae's hearing range where he can eavesdrop on baekhyun and his friends talking about one thing or another. baekhyun's friends aren't here yet, and jongdae is safe from listening to their stories of however the rest of 'that night' went after they left the bar.

"i didn't get your name before i left the other day, and that was something i was curious about." he starts with. his eyes are on jongdae, but jongdae's eyes are briefly drawn to baekhyun tapping at his blank phone screen. "after getting some sleep that day, i sent a message and asked kyungsoo if he could tell me, but all he said was 'why don't you ask him yourself? you have a class with him.'" jongdae chuckled softly at the sudden change of tone in the other's voice to copy his roommate's. "so i've been curious about it this whole weekend. i asked kyungsoo again yesterday if i might get a clue and see if he had you on facebook or something, but he didn't budge. so i don't suppose i have to wait longer or jump more loops to find it out now, right?"

"the whole weekend? what a long time for a name." and using facebook too. he must have been really curious about it. but jongdae also wasn't surprised if he didn't find anything. kyungsoo hardly ever signs onto it unless it was for wishing happy birthdays. plus, all the pictures in his album have been uploaded and tagged by people other than himself ('don't you have another face to use for the camera? you look exactly the same in every one,' he remembers a friend teasing. kyungsoo merely shrugged back at him.). so kyungsoo gave jongdae a name, but he didn't give one to baekhyun? how curious. "jongdae. my name is kim jongdae."

that smile on baekhyun's face grew more satisfied, and jongdae couldn't help but to notice how much of his tiny teeth showed in its rectangular shape. "it's nice to meet you, jongdae. again. i'm byun baekhyun, in case kyungsoo never told you my name either."

"no, he told me." he can see the way his answer causes disdain on baekhyun's features. jongdae thinks it looks funny enough to chuckle softly. "it must be a perk on having him as a roommate."

"possibly." he nods, and waits for another moment to speak. "so, what's your major?"

"education." he continues on after further prodding that no, he didn't want to be a teacher solely because he likes children, although that is a big reason. he wants to do something to change the way the education system works now in their country, find a way to lesson a student's stress level, and be a supportive teacher the students can rely on.

"ah, a forward thinking man looking for change. pretty ambitious. i like that." jongdae laughs and waves his hand dismissively. this isn't something jongdae would confess to someone so easily. in front of baekhyun, it just happened to come out. "you know, if i'd have known that kyungsoo had a smart and handsome roommate like you, i would have talked to you sooner."

jongdae sputtered and looked at the other incredulously. he quickly glanced at the others around them because, oh my god, did they hear that as well? this was hardly the place that jongdae would expect to be hit on, and he feels his ears getting hotter. "oh, th-... thank you?"

his reaction seems to be what baekhyun expected with the way he smiles back. "don't mention it."

the moment that baekhyun's friends walk in, baekhyun excuses himself from their conversation to turn his attention to the recently arrived. it was like jongdae doesn't exist to them at all, but he uses this free time to go back to reading his notes anyway. the professor catches the attention of the students after a moment and the classroom quiets down. jongdae listens and writes notes down from the power point, but he finds himself scribbling in between the margins from the memory of baekhyun complimenting his looks.

 

~☕~

 

"baekhyun came up and talked to me today." jongdae brings up while kyungsoo's reading his book.

the mention is enough for his gaze to peek up from the pages only for a second to show he's listening. "oh yeah?"

"yeah, he mentioned how you didn't want to give him my name."

"he was annoying me about it. even if i did tell him, he would have come up to you anyway. that's how he is."

"what do you know about him?"

"just that he's someone who enjoys going to parties and clubs. not really someone i'd hang out too often with."

his friend clearly knows more about baekhyun than he let off, and that piques jongdae's curiosity even more. as he came to think of it, how _did_ that night lead to kyungsoo bringing baekhyun home? "you know, when he was here..."

"i know what you're going to ask, and i'm not telling you."

jongdae pouted. it was worth a shot.

 

~☕~

 

"you're a barista?" baekhyun asks once their jobs are brought up on another day.

"at a tom n toms, yeah. i work at a 24 hour branch, so my shifts can change a lot."

"so you know how to make different kind of coffees and do the latte art and everything?" the way baekhyun leans into their conversation more has jongdae thinking that his interest in coffee spans more than the average person's.

"well i wouldn't say i'm _that_ good. it is kind of a hobby of mine, so it makes it better that i can practice trying on my own when i make myself a cup."

"mind if you show me one day? i did think that it was pretty cool that people could do that. heck, if i knew, i would have used it to impress people. you've probably done that a lot, huh?"

"not as often as you think." jongdae laughs. his job never seems that glorious to him considering the amount of cafes anyone could find at any time. besides, jongdae doesn't really have someone who he really wants to impress.

... is what he tells himself while he's facing baekhyun. knowing that the other has some interest in latte art at least, he doesn't think he's convincing himself too well when his thoughts race to showing him pictures on his phone of his best work. he tries to squash down this notion.

"i could see you being a barista though." baekhyun has the barista look in jongdae's _completely unbiased_ opinion. he's got a nice smile, and beautiful hands that would make anything look and taste better after he's touched it. _and the thing being touched probably likes it a lot too._ shit, no don't go down there.

jongdae shifts in his seat to sit more comfortably. "so uh... how about you, do you have a job?"

jongdae learns more about baekhyun after that, question after question, tangent after tangent, and baekhyun is in no short supply of providing him with answers. he learns that he's an errand boy at an english institution that his mother runs ("don't work for your parents. it's the worst."). he grew up learning english by going to private institutions, was eventually a student at his principal mom's institution once he was old enough, and has been playing the piano since he was 6 years old.

he finds out that the other is comfortable in his own skin, is supportive of jongdae's progressive dream due to his own upbringing, and is studying management for a similar reason to jongdae's by looking for a change in the system. from this, jongdae thinks baekhyun is more than being a charismatic person and having a pretty face; he's got a sexy brain (jongdae also seriously wishes baekhyun doesn't know how to read minds to hear that).

baekhyun leaves a strong impression on him whenever they talk. the more that he learns about the other, the more that jongdae finds himself being addictive to learning something about him every time they meet. it's making it very hard for jongdae not to be infatuated by him.

he's not.

he's _not!_

 

**~☕~**

 

he is.

his thoughts about the other go a little too overboard, but that isn't made prevalent until it starts seeping into his subconscious.

he wakes up one morning feeling overheated and shook up after his dream. it felt almost real, the way baekhyun was up close and personal. he distinctly remembers seeing his birthmark right above the corner of his lips, and then jongdae's vision looking down to long and beautiful fingers sliding down his chest. the image of them going lower between his legs is the last thing his marvelous mind decides to burn into his memories.

he curses softly at himself with these thoughts plaguing him so early in the day. jongdae doesn't even have a class with him today and yet baekhyun is still around.

but he also wants to ask himself, what makes baekhyun so different from others that he's affected him this much?

 

~☕~

 

in the next week, their professor informs them about this month's pair project which makes jongdae nervous. he can recognize others who are in the same dilemma as him, but he waits it out and looks around for those who are still left alone.

right next to him, baekhyun and his friends hold out their hands to play rock paper scissors amongst each other to see who will be thrown out to dry. they're pretty loud to begin with, but by the sound of the others' cheers after throwing out their hands, baekhyun gets the short end of the stick.

his friends clasp their hands together in victory while baekhyun huddles his head at his desk. jongdae looks at him with sympathy and reaches out to give him a few pats on his back. not long after, the other is leaning back on his chair with a sigh, opens his eyes, and turns his head to face jongdae. "wanna pair up for the project?"

jongdae didn't want to sound so enthusiastic when saying yes.

 

**~☕~**

 

"do you think you can put your phone down for at least half an hour?"

it's not all smooth sailing from what jongdae initially thought. they've exchanged contacts and agreed to meet in the library the next day to brainstorm ideas, but since sitting down at the table, baekhyun's plugged his phone charger to the nearest outlet and opened up different apps left and right. figures he's a popular guy with how often he opens up kakaotalk and facebook messenger, but then…

"yeah, in a minute. let me roast these beans first." he sees baekhyun playing a real-time mobile game to manage his own cafe, from choosing what beans to roast, decorating his store, to expanding his menu with different drinks and snacks. he explains his months long addiction to the game and his obsession to be at the top among his friends. how he has time to play that game along with having a big social life is beyond jongdae, but he does make a comment to baekhyun about downloading it himself to see what is so interesting and addictive about it.

"you should! and then i'll help you level up faster."

"i'll think about it." he was considering downloading the game seriously, but knowing himself, just how often would he be checking his phone to play? baekhyun is a person whose phone is an extension of himself; take away his phone, and not long after people will ask why he's gone silent. jongdae on the other hand can go with checking up on social media once a week. jongdae is pretty confident in saying he could live with something as simple as a nokia; all he ever does on his phone is respond to messages and checks the time. there is the occasional game or webtoon to read or play during commutes and before class, but he'd also be fine with carrying his nintendo ds in his bag.

finally, baekhyun finally closes his apps and rests his phone face down on the table presumably to keep himself from distractions. but he doesn't take the action to pick up his pencil, and neither does he open his notebook. jongdae's starting to regret pairing up with baekhyun when they aren't getting much done. except the thought of _having_ paired up with baekhyun overpowers his thought of questioning this partnership.

"so what about you?" baekhyun suddenly utters, and jongdae looks at him with furrowed brows.

"what about me?"

"i've told you a lot about myself that it'd be nice if you could return the favor."

baekhyun wants to learn about him? still something that's not related to their project, but the question is so sudden that he can't come up with an answer that quickly. "i'm nothing special."

"i have trouble believing that! but i've been wondering..." baekhyun's elbows rest on the table and he leans closer to jongdae. he follows his gaze until his finger is tapping against jongdae's phone. "what's that picture you have as your background?"

"oh..." jongdae reaches over and secretly enters his password to unlock his phone. what stares back at them is a picture of when he and his friend are sitting at the back of a yacht while they were on vacation together. jongdae's wearing a wetsuit prepared to wakeboard, his hair blowing every which way as the wind picks up from how fast they're going. minseok, the one sitting next to him and looking equally as happy, is wearing simple summer clothes, and his sunglasses hang by one leg from the collar of his shirt.

looking back at that picture brings back memories of minseok's fear of open water and his hesitation to jump in, but his willingness to go with jongdae anyway when jongdae enjoys the sport so much. in the water, he remembers minseok's obvious worries with the way he held the flag up once jongdae fell into the water. mainly he chose this as his background because it's the happiest recent memory he has with one of his best friends, despite the completely busy schedule minseok holds.  

baekhyun's eyes light up in surprise when he takes a closer look and points to it once again. "is that you with kim minseok? like, _the_ kim minseok, the one on the national football team?"

oh, he knows him. of course anyone who knows of football knows of minseok. he became one of the youngest, but integral, members of the team when he was first announced. "yeah." jongdae nods back, but baekhyun can't take his eyes off of the picture.

"are you guys friends?"

"yeah... hyung and i go way back. we grew up together."  

"how cool! can you introduce me to him?" baekhyun seems to perk up from the idea, but his laugh doesn't make his request sound in any way serious. he doesn't blame baekhyun either for asking, although he is one of many who've asked jongdae the same. "i would give anything to see him in person. he's really hot."

jongdae shrugs lightly. "i guess he is."

"you _guess_ ? i'd be surprised if you _didn't_ beat off to him he's that hot."

"oh my god." does he not have a filter? jongdae's taken off guard by the comment enough that baekhyun apologizes.

'hot' is the understatement of the century. jongdae doesn't have enough words to describe what his friend means to him. hot, handsome, masculine, just scrape that surface, but the last thing jongdae wants to do in front of baekhyun is gush about his friend and how minseok is the one who made jongdae realize that women aren't really his type. jongdae had been dating a girl through his puberty years, but they eventually broke up when jongdae questioned himself feeling breathless and his heart light seeing minseok's smile and not his now ex-girlfriend's.

jongdae simply laughs awkwardly back at the comment, and something about the way baekhyun looks at him makes him feel uncomfortable, like everything is written right in his body language and his expressions that baekhyun can understand everything the longer he stares.

a light goes off in baekhyun's mind, and he's nodding. "ah~" but baekhyun's not judging him, and instead prods gently in light of the situation. "does he know?"

"no. but...i don't anymore. that's in the past." jongdae shakes his head. his fingers play with his pencil again, anything to keep him occupied because oh god, he didn't expect for their conversation to reveal one of his secrets like this. he was able to move on from his unrequited feelings, but he's not sure how to feel about sharing this with baekhyun. "he's really happy with juhyun noona, and i'm happy for him too."

"ah, seo juhyun. right."

he can feel his heart beating faster and his palms getting sweaty from the confession. he needs to take the topic away from himself. jongdae looks towards his notes and frowns at the lack of writing he has down on paper, so he slides it between them and points to the title he's written with the tip of his pencil. "we should have at least an idea to go with before we call it a day."

thankfully, he backs off from questioning him further, and looks back down to jongdae's notes. "yes, sir!"

 

~☕~

 

that wouldn't be the last time baekhyun asks more about jongdae's personal life, and it also wouldn't be the last time jongdae lets it happen. he would also learn later that everything that comes out of baekhyun's mouth is indeed flirtatious or sexual in nature, even if it's not intentional. he throws compliments left and right, and jongdae's left looking taken aback and overwhelmed every time.

and every time, baekhyun smiles at him with amusement. "what? you look like you're surprised."

"uh..." he isn't _wrong._ having friends like kyungsoo and minseok definitely didn't help with that. they were loyal friends, quiet ones who didn't talk unless it was important, but loyal nonetheless. most of their complements are internalized and shown by their actions rather than their words, he learned, so he knew that any opinions he'd hear coming out of their mouths would be rare but speaking their truths. "i'm just not used to it."

they spend their time in a booth at jongdae's workplace with their books in front of them and their notebooks open on the table. jongdae doesn't have work for another few hours, and thought it was a good opportunity to get some more of the project done. he has one hand on the trackpad while his other hand is spinning his pencil in between his fingers. jongdae plays a video for them to watch for their project and offers him the other earbud to be able to hear. he notices the way baekhyun presses up against his side more, something gradual, like he doesn't realize how close he is. jongdae tenses up when he feels his forearm starting to rest more against his leg, but his mind convinces him that he also doesn't want move away.

that is, until the video is over. "oh, sorry."

 _he doesn't sound sorry._ "it's alright." jongdae's already missing that warmth next to him. his imagination takes it further to where he _wants_ that hand to be, but he shakes that down by looking for another video to watch. _stop it, brain._

they do manage to gather more information and add it to their project. jongdae is satisfied with how well they're getting through it that he's confident that they'll reach all the requirements asked of them.

baekhyun's the one to go first and he starts packing up his things. "part-time job. gotta go see my mom." he doesn't sound too happy about it that jongdae asks. "it's easy money," he shrugs. baekhyun swings his backpack behind him until he has it on before waving to jongdae. "i'll see you later." jongdae goes back to staring at his screen to organize everything they'd done for the project neatly in a folder.

he dons his apron when his shift starts and walks onto the floor when, not even a moment later, his coworker holds out an envelope towards him. it's plain white with jongdae's name hand-written in the front, while the flap is closed with a seal-looking sticker. he doesn't recognize the handwriting, and he looks at it in confusion. "what's this?"

"your friend told me to give this to you once you started your shift."

"which friend?" he feels dumb for asking, but he wants to make sure.

"the one that you were sitting with at that table." she mentions, nodding out to the floor.

so... baekhyun left something for him? he had no idea of what might be inside aside from knowing that it was flat and small. he takes the envelope with his confusion showing all the way up until he pulled out what was inside. and in it he found a ticket for the cafe convention being held at coex in a couple weeks.

he was confused at first seeing only one ticket in the envelope, but upon closer inspection of the buyer's name (which thankfully does say 'byun baekhyun'), he notices in parentheses that this was only one out of the _two_ tickets bought for the event. he checks the envelope again to make sure he isn't missing the second one before coming to the conclusion that baekhyun must still possess that other ticket. one for him and one for jongdae, to a coffee convention for them to go together. how sneaky.  

he takes a picture of the ticket to send it to baekhyun that he received it, uses the app to circle the ticket quantity, and sends him him a message following.

  **kjd**  
   is this your way of asking me out?

jongdae realizes that he might not have the confidence to flirt back at him in person, but has little problem doing it over messages.

 **baekhyun**  
   that depends  
   is it working?

 **kjd**  
   it is (smiley)

baekhyun uses a celebratory sticker of ebichu the hamster jumping up in joy before sending his reply.

 **baekhyun**  
   it's a date then!  
   looking forward to it~ ^^

he feels like he's a kid again from how giddy he feels.

 

~☕~

 

"i just want this to be over now," jongdae whines into the space of his living room. he stretches his back out from his seat and starts sliding down until his head comfortably meets the armrest. baekhyun looks amused and shows his sympathy by smiling and reaching out to pat his arm.

they're at the final stretch of finishing their assignment and jongdae wants nothing more than to complete it and put it aside. for now, taking a break shouldn't hurt, and he decides to rest his eyes for a little bit.

baekhyun is being rather quiet, sans for the occasional sounds of the page turning and soft humming. it's soothing enough that he can feel himself dozing off and sleep taking over him. he feels the draft of something, _someone,_ moving closer to him, enough that he could feel the warmth radiating off of him.

"has anyone told you before that you have long eyelashes?"

his lower voice sounds much closer than he thought and that sends a chill down his spine. the next time jongdae opens his eyes, baekhyun is right by the headrest too and glancing down at his lips. realizing that jongdae is looking back at him, his eyes immediately stare back at him. jongdae's face and his ears have never heated up this fast in his life.

the thoughts swim around in his head when he doesn't know what to expect. but baekhyun is considering something, and man baekhyun's lips haven't looked this tempting before. oh my god, does baekhyun want to...? he knew that the other liked flirting and jongdae did play along, asked him out on a date, and... whatever signal jongdae made, baekhyun leans in closer. he stops halfway, looking for any signal for him to stop.

baekhyun's asking for permission to continue, and jongdae indulges by closing the gap between them. kissing baekhyun ignites that heat to spread around jongdae's body, like baekhyun is the fuel to the flame, except jongdae is tugging him closer rather than pulling him away. it's been so long since he's last kissed someone that he almost forgets what it feels like and how much he likes it. the memories of his last kiss were bittersweet, littered with broken promises and a broken heart, but with baekhyun he feels like he knows how to make jongdae forget about it. baekhyun is a _really_ good kisser, his lips moving with all the experience jongdae assumes he has even in this awkward position they're both in.

jongdae pulls back when he forgets to breathe, but baekhyun doesn't stray too far away. he gives him another peck before welcoming him in again. baekhyun picks himself up from the floor to join jongdae on the couch, his body resting on the cushion while his arms are on either side. jongdae cups his face to keep him close, lips connected again with a mix of teeth and tongue.

"i... it's been a while," he defends himself after the next time. baekhyun doesn't seem to mind as he leans back in.

 

~☕~

 

"what's going on with you and baekhyun?" kyungsoo asks over the table. it's that squint he gives, the one people mistake for a glare while his glasses are lying low on the bridge of his nose. jongdae's unintentionally been on the receiving end of these looks that he wants to say they don't phase him anymore, but right now he feels like he's just been caught doing something against the other's liking.

well, he's not wrong. "what about what's going on between he and i?"

"i mean you've been around him more frequently these days."

usually his roommate wouldn't ask about these topics unless he had something to say. it's making jongdae nervous. "we have the same class together."

"yeah, but you haven't gone out of your way to meet other classmates like this before. first he buys you a ticket for a convention that doesn't involve what you guys are studying at all, and you've accepted his invitation?"

"i offered him the money to pay him back for the ticket, you know. but we found out that we both like coffee that much to go."

"and now you're back from 'studying' with him with that goofy smile on your face?" kyungsoo shakes his head. "i know why you're spending time like this with him, and i know it's also his fault for leading you on like this too. i thought you wanted someone who was more into... committing."

he hears the notifications going off on the other's side of the table, from kyungsoo's phone, but he's ignoring it for now. "i could have crushes, can't i? i don't know what it is about him, he's just interesting."

"next thing you know, you're taking him back here, his tongue is in your mouth and your pants are on the floor."

"sounds like you're saying that from experience," he adds defensively, with a little more assertion than intended, but he feels like he's being backed into a corner.

oh shit, now kyungsoo really is glaring at him. his comment doesn't get voiced when his attention is pulled from their conversation. his notifications are going off a second time, and then a third time, and multiple more that he picks it up to see all the messages coming from one person. "why can't he just put it all in one?" he hears him mumbling to himself. jongdae's curious now with the way he looks over to his phone, but all he could see from this angle were the familiar white and yellow speech bubbles. the look on kyungsoo's face upon reading it shows nothing pleasant about it. the other male sighs, sets his phone on the table after locking it, and takes off his glasses. "i have to go."

"what's up?"

"that idiot can't show up to his shift at work today and he wants me to cover for him." his fingers come up to rub at the bridge of his nose. "i don't know why they just don't fire him. this isn't the first time he's done something like this before. plus he's allergic to animals so why even take this job?"

"tall elf guy?" jongdae only faintly remembers what that guy's actual name is, although now he probably should use it properly.

kyungsoo nodded at the question and picked up his things after standing up. "it's fine. i need the money anyway." there's another ping coming from his phone, and his phone lights up to show another message waiting for him in the app. "he says that he owes me one, though at this point it feels like he owes me a thousand."

"gotta cash in on those quickly. say hi to huchu for me while you're there."

"you could come with me."

"i have a few things to get done first. maybe later i'll head over?"

"suit yourself."

a pause, and jongdae's thinking back to their previous conversation before they were interrupted. "ah, i was really curious about what you were going to say."

"tough luck." shot down so quickly. as expected. "but i'm serious about baekhyun. i don't think he's your type. you can hang out with him, be friends with him and bring him back here for all i care, but you shouldn't think that what he's doing will lead to something more romantic. he might not be the best to have a relationship with, if he even wants one for that matter. i'm warning you."

he nods back to his friend, heeding his words. kyungsoo would know better than jongdae. he and baekhyun are similar in that way, able to have a fling with no strings attached. jongdae wonders himself if he _does_ want something more with baekhyun, or whether this feeling clinging onto him was pure interest and attraction for the other. "i'll keep that in mind."

kyungsoo looks satisfied with his answer, and turns to walk to his room. "i'll be going now."

he knows that kyungsoo is merely looking out for him, and jongdae appreciates that a lot.

 

~☕~

 

that night after their study session, jongdae remembers baekhyun's pretty hands and the way they run down jongdae's back. he remembers how well baekhyun's tongue moves and how it makes jongdae shiver.

he curses to himself that baekhyun has this hold on him and he doesn't know if he's ready to face it. those thoughts of him refuse to leave him alone no matter how much he tries to will them away despite kyungsoo's warnings. the moment jongdae thinks he's managed, it returns stronger than ever before like a flood soaking his feet.

jongdae has this urge, this _desire_ to see baekhyun, to feel him again. he wants to know what he looks like underneath those clothes, to see those broad shoulders and the rest of his build if his defined arms had any indication of how fit he was. he wants to know how it feels to have _that_ pressed against him as they kiss senselessly on his bed, jongdae's hands mapping the dips and curves of baekhyun's body.

a small whimper escapes from him. his throat is dry because damn it he didn't want to keep thinking about this, but jongdae can't even shut his eyes without all his senses imagining him being in bed with baekhyun.

he's hesitant at first, but then his hand slides down himself, and his fingers slip past his sweatpants until his hand is tugging at his cock. he keeps his noises in when he thinks kyungsoo is in the next room, but his eyes are closed as thoughts of baekhyun swim around in his head.

jongdae tries to imagine how it feels to have baekhyun's cock inside him. he imagines how he is in bed; if baekhyun's the type to take his time riling them up first or goes right to fucking them hard. he imagines the way baekhyun looks above him as he moves, those hooded eyes looking down at him and mouth parted as he pants. jongdae's hand moves faster as his pulse quickens.

there's a quiet moan, and he purses his lips shut even when he knows kyungsoo isn't around. jongdae comes into his hand, fingers sticky with his mess.

he sighs deeply, carefully sits up and reaches for a tissue. he feels satisfied, but he can't seem to wipe off that little stain of shame off his body as easily as his hands.

 

~☕~

 

the plan for their next study session is to edit and finish their project before turning it in, but the problem with their plan is how their study session quickly turns into make outs and jongdae can't complain about it happening. baekhyun closes the door to his apartment, they lay out their project on the table, and not even ten minutes in is when baekhyun is sitting a little too close. his hand brushes against jongdae's ever so slightly reaching for something on the table, but he places a hand and rests his chin on jongdae's shoulder when jongdae's explaining his notes.

jongdae tries to scoot away, but baekhyun comes back in just as quickly. "don't you have more space over there?" he tries joking halfheartedly, pointing to the other side of the table left abandoned.

"yes, but you're warm." he makes his point by nuzzling in closer.

"and you're distracting." jongdae reacts by shrugging his shoulder and that makes the other pout. at this angle, it's easy to brush his lips against baekhyun's, and he does just that. "there?" baekhyun shakes his head and goes in for another kiss.

jongdae playing with baekhyun like this is dangerous, jongdae is aware. but once he's in the moment and baekhyun is there, at his side and giving him attention, any other thoughts are thrown away.

they do manage to finish their project before the due date, much to baekhyun and jongdae's relief.

 

~☕~

 

he can't find himself falling asleep again while he rests in bed, and he knows bothering kyungsoo isn't an option this time when he has a test in the morning. jongdae opens up his messages and taps on his chatroom with minseok. the time stamp he has on their conversation is from three days ago, and he feels bad about that long of a gap since their last talk.

 **kjd**  
     u awake?

it isn't even a minute later when he receives a text back.

 **minseokie hyung**  
     just finished at the gym. why?

 **kjd**  
     there's som

jongdae doesn't even get to finish typing when his phone starts ringing and minseok's picture pops up on the screen. he laughs at the other's quick responses and swipes his finger across to answer the call. "you couldn't wait for my message?"

"i'm walking home, so it's easier for me to talk than read." the background noise from minseok's phone is almost quiet except for the music playing from the passing stores. he could imagine his friend now with his duffel bag slung around his shoulder and his parka zipped all the way up. minseok never really enjoyed the cold, or winter for that matter, but that never stopped him from exercising. "what's up?"

"well..." what was it that he wanted to talk about? jongdae wasn't sure about that himself. "i don't know. there's just a lot on my mind and i don't know where to focus."

"what kind of things?"

he tries hard not to mention baekhyun, but that was the first on his mind, and so his mind brings up his talk with kyungsoo that makes him feel a little guilty. "just... stuff. about how i have finals coming up and i'm working on projects. i also want to go job hunting soon so that i'm not stuck working at the cafe. you're lucky, hyung, you already had something waiting for you once you graduated. you didn't have to go through all of this." he hopes that minseok would be able to imagine the pout he had over the phone. he's used it on him countless times before it was almost a given with his tone of voice.

"it wasn't all easy for me either!" he defends light heartedly. "there are more struggles involved than you think." jongdae knows full well what minseok had to go through, having to maintain his grades while showing up to every practice and every game, and jongdae came to the conclusion that athletic scholarships are brutal. when he thinks about where minseok is now in his career, he was just better planned out earlier on. "now that i'm doing all of this conditioning and training, there's not a lot of time outside of that."

"that's why i feel bad for calling you about my burdens when you already have enough to worry about."

"jongdae." he hears the flat tone of his voice as a warning. this was a conversation they had before, more in depth in the past, and jongdae was already aware of how minseok felt about this. "you know i'm here to listen. i wouldn't call just anyone. just tell me."

and so he did. "i met someone else who's a big fan of you. he saw the picture of us on my background while we were working on our project." his talk continued onto his, whatever it was called, crush?, on someone, and not knowing how to show that he was interested in them. minseok teased jongdae on how it's been a while since he's liked someone.

" _have_ you dated anyone after jino? or even liked someone else?" and jongdae whines back at him for bringing up bad memories. "sorry, sorry!"

"but no, i haven't..." jongdae wasn't even sure if what he felt for baekhyun would last or if he wanted to keep pursuing it. came as fast, would disappear as fast, right? he wants to keep telling himself that.

maybe minseok wasn't the best person to go to this now that he thought about it. he was someone who was able to charm anyone with his looks and his passion on the field, and jongdae has no such charm in his arsenal. "you had your pick of the litter."

"yeah but i met joohyun through the astronomy club."

"yeah, i remember, but i wouldn't _like_ to. you were a big nerd back then." this is a moment jongdae wants to burn out from his memories after thinking about what minseok told him. juhyun was, and still is, a woman always looking at the stars, the nebulas, the universe, and what was out there. jongdae even confessed to minseok he thought the noona was cute for talking about it so animatedly. minseok asked her out when their club went stargazing out in the countryside, making sure they were alone before telling her 'you're the star that shines the brightest in my world.' jongdae didn't know how juhyun was able to hear that without cringing.

another laugh. "hey, she liked it and that's what matters, isn't it? just so you know, the other day on our anniversary, i told her 'if i had a star for every time you made me happy, i'd have a whole galaxy.' and she said she loved me."

jongdae groaned. "remind me to never ask you for dating advice."

"are they too hot to handle? i know my flirting techniques are pretty out of this world that you're blinded by their greatness."

"hyung, stop or else i'm hanging up!" he whines loudly. jongdae is not here for this even though he's glad his friend takes great pride in his sense of humor. "what would your fans think if they knew you made these jokes?"

"there's only one fan of mine that i would use these on seriously, and i know she loves them."

"that's sweet... but i'm still cringing, and you're still no help."

"i'm sorry i'm not better at giving you advice."

"it's okay. i love you anyway."

"the thing with juhyun is, i just went for it. there's no harm in asking them first, right? have things out laid on the table instead of assuming everything." jongdae knows. he knows he should know, but having the information and acting upon it are two separate things.

he could hear the sounds of minseok arriving home from the echo of his footsteps down the hallway, the beeps from his door code, and turning the knob to open his door. "alright, i gotta go now. sorry we can't talk for longer."

"don't worry about it. take care of yourself, hyung."

"you too, jongdae. good luck."

 

~☕~

 

baekhyun’s more put together than usual when they meet; he has his hair parted up and styled to the side. instead of wearing shirts that were just a size too big, he has a black sweater underneath his trench coat. jongdae is dressed up just as nicely, mirroring the occasion they're going to with his button down tucked into his black slacks. he is excited about the convention more than he can express as they line up for the workshop on how to free pour.

they look at the other booths later on, of the upgraded espresso machines and coffee roasters. jongdae has his eyes on one company selling raw beans from robusta to kona, but he steps away from it sadly when he looks at the prices.

this is nice, spending time with baekhyun without worries or deadlines. jongdae wonders if he does this with all his dates, if he did something similar with kyungsoo, but he doesn't want to ruin the moment.

the convention has him on a high for the rest of the day and it’s not at all from the smell of ground beans and caffeine in the air. he has good company too who can comment about the taste of coffee but also share common jargon used at work. baekhyun takes advantage of this when using his charming words on jongdae, a pick up line laden in between them (“this coffee burnt my tongue. can you kiss it better?”), and jongdae yells that he’s just as bad as minseok.

he tries so hard to ignore how hard his conscience is tugging his attention to how baekhyun is sticking so closely, and that his hand rests comfortably low on jongdae's hip.

next thing he knows, jongdae can't refuse baekhyun's offer to head back to his place.

jongdae's pinned against the wall with baekhyun's lips on him the moment they step into baekhyun's apartment. it doesn’t catch him off guard as much as he might have expected this to happen, and his hands come up to grip at baekhyun’s arms to brace himself. baekhyun kisses like an angel, or is it more like a devil in disguise? there’s no hesitation in his movements, and with the swipe of his tongue along jongdae’s lower lip, he knows what he wants and knows jongdae will give when he parts his lips.

baekhyun’s mouth is more insistent than usual, full of _something_ that hasn’t been there before, tongue licking in and exploring everything it can. his hands are impatient as they rub circles along his thighs and his ass, pressing into the thick denim. jongdae lets out a soft moan from the way baekhyun pushes closer, hips lined up together.

"i've been waiting to do that all day." their breaths mingle through their soft pants when baekhyun pulls away. he sees the dark look baekhyun gives him; mouth slightly parted and gaze boring down at him that makes it impossible for him to look away. by the way jongdae's blood is running south, he doesn’t want to either.

“really? all day?”  

baekhyun's hand skittering up his side. their jackets are still on, and jongdae’s way too overheated to stay in his. “well once i saw how hot you were wearing your barista clothes, i wanted to know what they looked like while i took them off.”

 _“oh.”_ never felt so proud about picking out his wardrobe as much as today.

 _next thing you know, you're taking him back here, his tongue is in your mouth and your pants are on the floor._ he really finds it the worst time for kyungsoo’s voice to be prodding in.

baekhyun’s low chuckle leaves a perfect tremble in jongdae’s ears. he leans closer to press kisses along jongdae’s jaw, and jongdae cranes his head to the side to give him more access. it’s too much at once, but not enough at the same time. “well?” he hears him ask. jongdae’s breath hitches when baekhyun kisses under his ear.

it makes it _really_ hard for jongdae to think, but there isn’t much he needs _to_ think about. jongdae’s not a virgin, but it’s been an embarrassingly long time since he’s last had sex. and here, baekhyun is, the one he’s had more than one fantasy about, inviting him over to his place and pinned against his wall. jongdae would have to be an idiot to not see the signs, but he would be even more of an idiot if he didn’t read them and do something about it.

jongdae wants this badly.

his fingers slide into baekhyun’s hair until he’s cupping the back of his neck, and he angles his head until he can nip at his lips. “where do you want me?”

baekhyun kisses him again and pulls them both off the wall to rid their jackets and toss them on his sofa. it’s only a quick walk to his bed in his small space, and jongdae soon finds his back against the mattress and baekhyun over him. his shirt gets untucked and the first few buttons are made undone. baekhyun’s hands slide underneath it and jongdae’s body arches up to his cool fingers. he squeaks out an embarrassing noise, but it makes baekhyun chuckle.

they sit up and jongdae tugs up baekhyun’s shirt to take it right off. underneath his clothes baekhyun looks as good as jongdae imagined. a hundred times better, honestly, when he's able to reach up and touch. he’s so stunningly hot, all smooth skin and muscle, and never did he think he'd ever be complimenting on another man's collarbones either. jongdae can’t get enough of him as his hands run down his chest and to the dips of his abs. his eyes look lower and he notices how the impressive curve pushing against the front of baekhyun’s skinny jeans leaves nothing to the imagination and everything to anticipation. jongdae reaches down to cup him in his hands, and he feels a rush when baekhyun hisses and rocks into his touch.

the rest of their clothes are pulled off and tossed aside, and baekhyun leaves the bed only for a moment to retrieve his lube and condoms. jongdae bends his knees until his feet can lay flat on the bed, and baekhyun kneels in between them. his hands run along his thighs before leaning forward and kissing the inside of jongdae's knee.

baekhyun takes his time opening jongdae up with experienced fingers, slow enough for jongdae to enjoy and adjust. jongdae's skin buzzes pleasantly from the friction, and he keeps himself at a constant high with his hand wrapped around himself and his thumb circling around his tip. baekhyun's three fingers in and jongdae rocks his hips onto them, and he curls them just right to rub against jongdae's prostate. a sharp moan, and jongdae rocks his hips again.

“baekhyun, _please_ …” he whines softly. his heart is pounding in his chest and through his ears, any more and he’s not sure how long he’d last. baekhyun listens, pulls his fingers back, and wipes them off on the sheets. he makes quick work tearing the wrapper open to take off the condom and roll it on himself.

“get on your knees,” he says, warming up lube on his fingers before coating his length with it. jongdae watches briefly, just the size of him is something to feast on, before turning around and doing what he’s told. he feels more exposed than ever up on his hands and knees, but then he feels baekhyun’s hand resting lightly against his lower back and his tip pressing against his entrance, and jongdae instead focuses on every warm inch inside of him as he pushes in.

baekhyun fucks jongdae slowly at first, the glide of his cock a tease as much as it makes his toes curl. it hits all the right places that makes jongdae moan and want _more more more_. he hears baekhyun above him groaning softly, and jongdae pushes his hips back as he falls into baekhyun’s rhythm. his head bows down against the mattress and fingers press into the sheets.

it’s a litany of their sounds that echo throughout the room, the way he rolls his hips and hits _right there_ has jongdae mewling. the pads of baekhyun’s fingers press into his skin deeper and he shuffles closer, their skin slapping together. baekhyun leans forward to brace himself as he picks up a faster pace and jongdae almost forgets to breathe.

he’s about to reach down and touch himself, but baekhyun is quick to push his hand away to wrap his slender fingers around him. jongdae’s back is arched impossibly taut, having slid from his hands now down to his elbows. his hips are raised just right to feel all of baekhyun hitting those spots that makes the pleasant knot in his stomach pull tighter.

“fuck, i’m gonna…” he doesn’t manage to finish when baekhyun tightens his grip around his cock and starts tugging him until he finally releases.

 

~☕~

 

kyungsoo’s words come back again after they’ve cleaned up and rested. it’s like a fly buzzing around him that won’t go away no matter how many times he swats it. he’s hesitant to bring up what’s on his mind, but basking in the afterglow, their 'pillow talk' seems like the best timing.

jongdae doesn’t plan on staying over, so he sits up to climb off the bed. baekhyun shifts around until he’s sitting up as well, sheets pulled up to his hips, and he watches as jongdae pads around the bed for his clothes.

jongdae's sliding his feet into his pants when a question occurs. “you’ve slept with a lot of people, haven’t you?” not a topic out of nowhere, jongdae supposes. they're both aware of baekhyun's encounter with kyungsoo and how casually it was dealt with.

he doesn't look fazed by the topic and nods. “you could say that.”

"have you ever thought of being in a relationship with any of those people?" he moves onto picking up his shirt and buttoning it on. jongdae doesn't want to expect much, but there is that small silver of hope.

“that’s not really my thing. i don't like the idea of being tied to one person." baekhyun shrugs. “why?”

“just curious.” when he looks back at baekhyun, he can’t tell what he’s thinking.

"here’s the thing. i like you, and i wouldn’t mind doing more of this with you. but if you’re hoping that this might lead into having a relationship, then i’m sorry for disappointing you.”  

jongdae doesn't like this feeling of something of holding onto his throat. he distracts himself until his shirt is tucked in nicely, head down like he's trying to focus. “i understand.”

 

~☕~

 

he can feel his face turning white once he opens the door to his apartment; it's in the middle of the night, but kyungsoo's sitting down in the living room, typing away on the notebook on his lap. he knows that the other heard him come in, but he doesn't spare jongdae a glance up. the rational jongdae knows that his friend might be busy with one assignment or another, but the other side, that one screaming at him that he probably _knows,_ makes jongdae feel like he'd just stepped into a lion's den.

"you're back late," kyungsoo states while jongdae's shuffling out of his shoes.

"i didn't think i'd be out for this long."

he hears a short hum. jongdae should go straight to his room and let kyungsoo be. it’s easy to walk past him, close the door, and lie on his bed as he thinks about the ways he could have changed things. except jongdae takes a seat the living room, and it's kyungsoo looking up from his screen when jongdae realizes he's staring. "yes?"

what should he say to kyungsoo? that after today, sleeping with baekhyun was one thing, but the day at the convention was another? that baekhyun's flirting might have stirred up something that jongdae was trying to deny? "i don’t know. it’s nothing.”

even kyungsoo could tell the obvious lie. "look, if you're waiting for me to say something to you about today, you're a grown man and i'm not your mother. you can make your own decisions and i have this paper to complete. talk to me in the morning."

there's a short pause until jongdae speaks up. "i should have listened to you." he can't look at kyungsoo in the face without feeling like he did something to disappoint him. almost four years of friendship between them that kyungsoo knew him best, but jongdae ignored it.

"maybe."

 

~☕~

 

with their project done, jongdae notices how they start meeting less frequently. they still exchange pleasantries, but those are also short lived when baekhyun's friends come in and take their seat. jongdae is confusing himself about what he wants from baekhyun. his attention, yes, but something else...? like how reverse psychology works, when he knows he can't have it, the more he desires it. he wants to ask him if he would like to do something after the semester is over, but after that night on their date, he's worried that anything suggested now might lead to baekhyun thinking jongdae wants it with strings attached. or that jongdae is scared he might want the strings.

so he lets the classes pass by.

their last class doesn't leave much for talking when they cram in every last bit of information before their test. jongdae answers all of the questions early, but he goes back through to double check his work. it's baekhyun who finishes his test and packs up his things before jongdae, and they make eye contact when he's leaving.

he expects baekhyun to be waiting in the hallway when his friends are still in the classroom, and there jongdae sees him with his eyes down to his phone playing that same cafe game.

“hey." jongdae nods at him. "how’d it go?”

“so-so.”

he couldn't be too distracted with his game to look up and chat. he tries again. “did you see that she posted the grades on our project this morning?”

“yeah, i did. we did a good job, didn’t we?" he glances up with a smile.

“yeah.”

in his mind, he was expecting baekhyun to say something, _anything,_ to see if baekhyun might have had a change of heart, that whatever jongdae is hoping for is there. that maybe he's different from the others? baekhyun would be the one to say it first, he's usually the expressive one. jongdae didn’t want to be the only one bringing it up again because he wanted to see if baekhyun’s been thinking about that time too.

but wishes don't always come true.

with a small smile, jongdae adjusts the strap of his backpack along his shoulder. "well, it's been fun."

baekhyun finishes a task in the game that he looks up properly at jongdae with a friendly smile. "have a good break, yeah?"

"yeah..."

this is the one and only class baekhyun and jongdae have together, and after this is finished, he doesn't have to see, talk to, or think of baekhyun again. jongdae tries to tell himself that he's fine with just this. he can accept that he doesn't need any more from baekhyun, doesn't want any more from baekhyun. this is just a semester long crush and he can move on.

but he's having a really hard time convincing himself.


End file.
